The Price of Ginger
by ikantdance05
Summary: When the eleventh Doctor regenerates, he gets a happy surprise, but he also loses something he had always loved.  Not as sad as it sounds really...


**AN: I was thinking of writing something that helps Amy and Rory accept not being able to raise Melody and I thought of this little story. It is set in a time period where the Doctor is married to River (at least they both have the memories of being married) and Rory and Amy are traveling with the Doctor again. hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with Doctor Who, BBC, or any of its related titles. **

Amy Pond felt the sudden sensation of weightlessness that comes when you leave a swimming pool. The water had been cool and comfortable in the library pool where she and her husband Rory Williams had been swimming. They were having a sweet little mini date on the TARDIS. Swimming and reading were both quite relaxing. Rory had been reading some books that had originally been written in modern Gallifreyan but the TARDIS graciously translated them for him. One was a brief text in Gallifreyan physiology; he wanted to be prepared if he ever needed to treat The Doctor or his own daughter, his sweet Melody. "River."he reminded himself. It was so strange that the little girl he only got to hold for a few moments was suddenly this beautiful warrior. He still loved her as he would love his little girl. The other book he had been reading was a Gallifreyan children's story; it was beautiful, the imagery, the story was so sweet, it brought tears to his blue eyes. It also made him long for those lost years with his baby.

Amy and Rory put their books away and dried their bodies off. It was rather late in relative time, they were headed back to their room for a romantic evening. To get to their room they had to pass through the main console room. As they approached from the adjacent hallway, they could hear singing; it was a sweet melodic high tenor voice, distinctly male and very quiet. The song, as translated, was a Gallifreyan lullaby. The TARDIS only translated a few select words as the song was not for them to hear, she just wanted them to understand something. The words they could understand were soft gentle words: forever, daughter, hold you, my sweet, and the strange, beautiful Gallifreyan term that meant the exact feeling of parental love and affection.

As they came closer to the console room, they realised that the voice was that of The Doctor. He was laying is his hammock beneath the stairs of glass. The Doctor seemed to be nearly asleep. He was strangely holding his right hand to his chest, almost cradling it. It seemed so strange to Rory and Amy. Why was he singing? Why was he holding his hand like that? By the time they came near him, he was fast asleep. How odd.

Amy heard a strange computer like noise on one of the many TARDIS screens. She tapped her husband on the shoulder. One of the screens had the lyrics to the lullaby in Circular Gallifreyan; the screen beside it had a message on it in English.

[Three relative years ago, on the planet Messaline, The Doctor became the genetic father and mother of a young girl through a progenation machine. The machine used the genetic material procured from his right hand to form his daughter, Jenny, was born, fully grown. She was brave and strong and sweet, appearing no older than an 60 year old Gallifreyan girl. His little girl he rejected at first, then grew to love her with his whole hearts. She sacrificed herself to save The Doctor . She died in his arms]

By the time Rory and Amy had finished reading they understood. The Doctor had been singing to his baby, his little girl he'd lost. He'd been cradling the hand she was born of, as if it brought him closer to her. Rory took Amy's hand and the two walked over to the sleeping alien in the hammock. Amy gently brushed her fingers through his hair and touched his soft, pale face. Rory tenderly pressed his lips to his sleeping son-in-laws floppy mess of hair. Their Doctor, their sweet, mad Doctor had done more than not get to see his little girl grow up; he lost her forever. At least they had their River now. At least they had grown up with Mels as their best friend. The Doctor would never see his baby again. It broke their hearts to know what The Doctor had lost. They loved him and his wife-their River-so much. She was their daughter; they loved him as a son (which felt a bit strange due to the fact he was a thousand year old alien.) Maybe one day his hearts will be whole again; their River seemed to be mending them quite nicely.

Amy and Rory made it back to their room and continued their date,albeit with a slight tinge of melancholy. However they were happy that they now understood just a bit more about the innocent boyish alien they loved so much.  
><strong><br>****the end**

**I realise that the TARDIS doesn't normally translate Gallifreyan for her passengers; however, I think that this was her special way of helping Amy and Rory cope. **  
><strong>I am planning on reuniting the Doctor with Jenny at some point...with a few good surprises. <strong>** I am currently at work on a series about the Doctor and the Master as children...kind of. Stay tuned for that.**


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